HOMEWORK OVERLOAD: CONTEMPLATING A $40,000 COLLEGE COACH

Posted by: Anne Tergesen on November 01

I recently co-wrote an article that profiles Michele Hernandez, one of an estimated 4000 college admissions counselors nationwide. The article sparked a vociferous debate—not least because of Hernandez’s prices (up to $40,000 for a five year package) and her work with students starting in the 8th and 9th grades. Hernandez claims a 95% success rate in helping clients get into the college of their choice—frequently Ivies or equivalents.

Critics argue services such as Hernandez’s give further advantage to those who need it least (ie:the wealthy). I understand this argument. But, as I sat with my 4th grader reviewing his grammar assignment last weekend—-after having spent some time checking over his math, quizzing him on the state capitals, and helping him review for a history test—-I gained new appreciation for what motivates parents to offload such work onto tutors and coaches.

Let’s face it: While some homework is necessary, it’s a bummer. This is especially true for working parents. When I get home from at 6:30, homework is the last thing I want to deal with. There are messes to clean up. There’s dinner to cook, mail to sort, housework to do, and cats to feed. My youngest, understandably, demands some one-on-one time. But two hours after walking through the door, I can invariably be found hunched over a fourth grade textbook or quizzing a child on spelling—-with the messes still messy and the cats yowling.

My fourth grader requires a lot of extra hand-holding these days. For the first time in his brief school career, he’s being asked to do more than regurgitate simple facts. He hasn’t yet figured out how to prepare for tests—-and his grades so far show it.

As a result, I’m doing way too much hand-holding-—there’s no question about it. But until my son gets a clue about how to study, I don’t see a way around it. With my help, his study habits, grades, and confidence have been improving. As the year progresses, I’ll slowly wean him from my assistance. In the meantime, I’ve discovered—thanks to an article in the Wall Street Journal—a way to get help without spending big bucks for tutors or coaches like Hernandez. The article reviewed online homework help sites, from the free (thebeehive.org, mathforum.org, coolmath.com) to those that charge up to $100 a month, on average (TutorVista.com, anytimeTutor.com). Next time I have to do a crash course on something I have no clue about, like last week’s science test on circuits, I plan to give them a try.

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